The present invention relates to an image developing apparatus usable with an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of the image forming apparatus, a feeding member and an elastic sheet.
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for example, an LED printer, a laser beam printer, and the like), an electrophotographic facsimile apparatus, an electrophotographic word processor, and the like.
A process cartridge is a cartridge which integrally comprises a charging means, a developing meaning or a cleaning means, and an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and is removably installable in the main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus; and a cartridge which integrally comprises at least a developing means, and an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and is removable installable in the main assembly of an image forming apparatus.
An image forming apparatus which employed an electrophotographic image formation process employed a process cartridge system, according to which an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and one or a plurality of processing means, which works on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, are integrally assembled in the form of a cartridge removably installable in the main assembly of an image forming apparatus. Also according to this process cartridge system, the maintenance for an image forming apparatus can be performed by a user him/her self; the user does not need to rely on a service person for the maintenance. Therefore, the employment of a process-cartridge system drastically improved the operational efficiency of an image forming apparatus As a result, the process cartridge system has been widely used in the field of the image forming apparatus.
In the case of an image forming apparatus such as the above described electrophotographic image forming apparatus which employs a process cartridge system, a user him/herself must exchange a cartridge Therefore, the image forming apparatus is provided with a means for informing the user of developer depletion, for example, a developer amount detecting apparatus.
In order to detect the amount of remaining developer, it is known that a pair of electrodes in the form of a rod are placed in the developer container of a developing means, and the amount of the developer in the developer container was determined by detecting the changes which occurred to the electrostatic capacity between the two electrodes.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 100571/1993 discloses a developer amount detecting apparatus, which employs a developer amount detecting member comprising two electrodes placed in the same plane in parallel to each other, one being in the shape of a xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d, and the other being in the shape of a xe2x80x9cIxe2x80x9d so that they can be coupled on the same plane. This developer amount detecting member is located at the bottom portion of the developer container. This development amount detecting apparatus detects the amount of remaining developer by detecting the fluctuation in the electrostatic capacity between the parallel electrodes placed in the same plane.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a developing device, a process cartridge, a feeding member, and an elastic sheet usable with the developing device and the process cartridge, wherein a remaining amount of a developer can be detected substantially in real time.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a developing device, a process cartridge, a feeding member, and an elastic sheet usable with the developing device and the process cartridge, wherein performance of a mechanism for detecting a remaining amount of the developer can be maintained.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a developing device, a process cartridge, a feeding member, and an elastic sheet usable with the developing device and the process cartridge, wherein accuracy os detection of a remaining amount of the developer can be improved.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a developing device, a process cartridge, a feeding member, and an elastic sheet usable with the developing device and the process cartridge, wherein the developer deposited to detecting means for detection of a remaining amount of the developer can be removed.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, comprising, a developing member for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member with a developer; a detecting member for detecting the amount of the developer; a stirring member for stirring the developer by rotation thereof; and a rubbing member for rubbing a surface of the detecting member, wherein the rubbing member is a member separate from the stirring member and is rotatable integrally with the stirring member.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.